how to say “haircut” in Hebrew

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/תספורת-1.m4a” /]תִּסְפּוֹרֶת

While the Hebrew word for barber is ספר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/תספורת-2.m4a” /], the word for haircut is תספורת[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/תספורת-1.m4a” /].

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/תספורת-3.m4a” /]הוא מחפש מקום טוב לעשות תספורת.

He’s looking for a good place to get (do) a haircut.

This root, ס.פ.ר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/תספורת-4.m4a” /], is identical to that of the word book in appearance, but not in meaning. Whereas ס.פ.ר in ספר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/תספורת-5.m4a” /] – book – means counting or recounting, in ספר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/תספורת-6.m4a” /] – barber – it might refer originally to ספר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/תספורת-7.m4a” /] meaning border: getting a haircut often means putting new borders on one’s scalp.